System And Method For Baling Agricultural Crop Material

ABSTRACT

An agricultural baler disposed on a movable agricultural implement is provided. The baler includes a first plunger and a second plunger. The baler also includes a strap feeding assembly and a track assembly disposed within a first slot formed on a first material-facing surface of the first plunger, a second slot formed on a second material-facing surface of the second plunger, a third slot formed on a third material-facing surface of a first wall of the baling chamber, and a fourth slot formed on a fourth material-facing surface of a second wall of the baling chamber. The first plunger is configured to compress material within the baling chamber, and the strap feeding assembly is configured to propel a strap through the track assembly, around the baling chamber, and into a sealing assembly configured to seal the strap into a loop around the bale.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is the US National Stage filing of InternationalApplication Serial No. PCT/US2014/028894, filed on Mar. 14, 2014 whichclaims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 61/794,914,entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR BALING AGRICULTURAL CROP MATERIAL,”filed Mar. 15, 2013, each of which is hereby incorporated by referencein its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of packagingcompressible materials, and more particularly, to systems and methodsfor baling agricultural crop materials.

Generally, balers are utilized to compress certain materials intorectangular bales to facilitate storage and handling of the material.Typically, the material is compressed within a baling chamber until thematerial forms a bale of a desired size. Such balers typically include amechanism for wrapping and knotting twine around the material tomaintain the compressed shape of the bale. Unfortunately, twine may bedifficult to remove from the bale and may degrade the baled material. Inaddition, the tensile strength of twine may be too low to effectivelybind compressed materials in certain applications.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Certain embodiments commensurate in scope with the originally claimedinvention are summarized below. These embodiments are not intended tolimit the scope of the claimed invention, but rather these embodimentsare intended only to provide a brief summary of possible forms of theinvention. Indeed, the invention may encompass a variety of forms thatmay be similar to or different from the embodiments set forth below.

In one embodiment, an agricultural baler disposed on a movableagricultural implement is provided. The baler includes a first plungerand a second plunger, positioned on an opposite longitudinal end of abaling chamber from the first plunger. The baler also includes a strapfeeding assembly and a track assembly. The track assembly is disposedwithin a first slot formed on a first material-facing surface of thefirst plunger, a second slot formed on a second material-facing surfaceof the second plunger, a third slot formed on a third material-facingsurface of a first wall of the baling chamber, and fourth slot formed ona fourth material-facing surface of a second wall of the baling chamber,wherein the first and second walls are positioned on opposite lateral orvertical sides of the baling chamber. The first plunger is configured tocompress material within the baling chamber into a bale, and the strapfeeding assembly is configured to propel an end of a strap through thetrack assembly, around the baling chamber, and into a sealing assemblyconfigured to bind a first portion of the strap to a second portion ofthe strap to seal the strap into a loop around the bale within thebaling chamber.

In another embodiment, an agricultural baler is disposed on a movableagricultural implement, and the baler includes a baling chamberconfigured to receive a compressible material. The baling chamberincludes a first wall opposing a second wall, wherein each of the firstwall and the second wall comprises a slot extending along a length ofthe baling chamber. A first plunger moveable within the baling chamberto compress the compressible material into a bale is provided.Additionally, a second surface opposing the first plunger is provided tosupport the compressible material within the baling chamber. Each of thefirst plunger and the second surface comprises a slot aligned with theslots of the first wall and the second wall. A track assembly comprisinga gated channel is disposed within the slots of the first wall, thesecond wall, the first plunger, and the second surface such that thetrack assembly substantially surrounds the baling chamber.

In a further embodiment, a method for baling an agricultural cropmaterial is provided. The method includes collecting the agriculturalcrop material in a baling chamber disposed on a movable agriculturalimplement and compressing the agricultural crop material into a bale viaa first plunger. The method also includes controlling a density of theagricultural crop material via a second plunger positioned opposite thefirst plunger and feeding an end of a strap into a channel of a trackassembly surrounding the baling chamber after the agricultural cropmaterial is compressed into the bale. The method further includespropelling the end of the strap through the channel of the trackassembly, directing the end of the strap into a sealing assembly, andsealing the end of the strap to a second portion of the strap within thesealing assembly to form a sealed loop surrounding the material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood when the following detaileddescription is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in whichlike characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a portion of a balerhaving a forward plunger and a rear plunger;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a portion of abaler having a forward plunger and a rear wall;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a plunger havingmultiple slots formed on a material-facing surface of the plunger;

FIG. 4 is a top cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a trackassembly having a gate disposed within a slot of a plunger;

FIG. 5 is a top cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a trackassembly disposed within a slot of a plunger;

FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a balingchamber having a track assembly disposed around the baling chamber and astrap feeding assembly disposed forwardly of a sealing assembly; and

FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a balingchamber having a track assembly disposed around the baling chamber and astrap feeding assembly disposed rearwardly of the sealing assembly.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a baling chamber havingan ejection system;

FIG. 9 is a side cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a balingchamber having an ejection system;

FIG. 10 is a front cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a balingchamber having an ejection system;

FIG. 11 is a side cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of abaler having an ejection system;

FIG. 12 is a side cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a balerhaving an ejection system;

FIG. 13 is a side view of an embodiment of a self-contained vehicleincluding a baler; and

FIG. 14 is a side view of an embodiment of a towed implement having abaler.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

One or more specific embodiments of the present disclosure will bedescribed below. In an effort to provide a concise description of theseembodiments, all features of an actual implementation may not bedescribed in the specification. It should be appreciated that in thedevelopment of any such actual implementation, as in any engineering ordesign project, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be madeto achieve the developers' specific goals, such as compliance withsystem-related and business-related constraints, which may vary from oneimplementation to another. Moreover, it should be appreciated that sucha development effort might be complex and time consuming, but wouldnevertheless be a routine undertaking of design, fabrication, andmanufacture for those of ordinary skill having the benefit of thisdisclosure.

When introducing elements of various embodiments of the presentdisclosure, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are intended tomean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,”“including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean thatthere may be additional elements other than the listed elements. Anyexamples of operating parameters and/or environmental conditions are notexclusive of other parameters/conditions of the disclosed embodiments.

The embodiments described herein relate to systems and methods forcreating a bale of a desired size and/or density, and for strapping thebale using a relatively high-strength strap. In particular, a firstplunger (e.g., a forward plunger) is configured to compress materialwithin a baling chamber of a baler. The forward plunger and/or a secondplunger (e.g., a rear plunger) are configured to accurately control thedensity of the bale. Additionally, various components may be providedwithin the baler to efficiently surround the bale with the strap and toseal the strap securely around the bale. The described embodiments mayprovide certain advantages over traditional baling systems. For example,the rear plunger may facilitate the formation of a bale of a particularsize and/or density, and in some cases, the rear plunger may enable theformation of relatively high density bales. Moreover, the high strengthand/or the large surface area of the strap may enable the strap to holdthe bale in the desired size and shape more efficiently than twine,thereby facilitating easy storage and handling of the bale.Additionally, unlike twine, the strap may be easily removed from thebale and may reduce degradation to the baled material. Furthermore,certain components described herein (such as, for example, a trackassembly) may enable efficient strapping of the bale while substantiallyreducing or eliminating twisting of the strap as the strap is applied toand sealed around the bale.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a portion of a baler 10configured to form and to strap rectangular bales of material (e.g.,crop materials, such as hay, straw, grasses, silage, corn stalks,tobacco, cotton, biomass, etc.). In the illustrated embodiment, thebaler 10 includes a frame 12 defining a baling chamber 14. The balingchamber 14 includes a first end 16 (e.g., forward end) and second end 18(e.g., rear end), which may generally relate to the direction of travelof the baler 10. For example, the baler 10 may be coupled to a towvehicle and pulled through a field, collecting and baling the cropmaterial as the baler 10 travels through the field. When connected tothe tow vehicle, the forward end 16 is proximal to the vehicle, whilethe rear end 18 is distal from the vehicle. The baler 10 may also beincluded in a self-propelled chassis, or may be part of a self-containedvehicle. The baler 10 may be further defined has having a lateral axis20, a longitudinal axis 22, and a vertical axis 24. Although theillustrated embodiment includes a horizontal rectangular baler 10, itshould be understood that the systems disclosed herein may be readilyadapted for use in other types of bale presses, such as vertical balepresses. Additionally, although the illustrated embodiment includes abaler 10 configured to bind the bale around the lateral axis 20, inother embodiments the baler 10 may be configured to bind the bale aroundthe longitudinal axis 22 or the vertical axis 24.

In the baler 10 of FIG. 1, the material is compressed within the balingchamber 14 by a forward plunger 26. In the illustrated embodiment, theforward plunger 26 includes a material-facing surface 28 having multipleparallel slots 30 open to the baling chamber 14. As illustrated, theslots 30 extend from a first end 32 (e.g., top end) of the forwardplunger 26 to a second end 34 (e.g., bottom end) of the forward plunger26, and the slots 30 are generally aligned with the vertical axis 24 ofthe baler 10. The slots 30 are spaced evenly across the material-facingsurface 28 of the forward plunger 26. As shown, six slots are providedon the material-facing surface 28 of the forward plunger 26, althoughtwo, three, four, five, seven, eight, nine, ten, or more slots may beprovided in other embodiments. The forward plunger 26 is configured tomove axially within the baling chamber 14 in a reciprocating motionalong the longitudinal axis 22 of the baler 10. In other words, theforward plunger 26 is configured to move in a first direction (e.g.,forward direction or forwardly) and in a second direction (e.g.,rearward direction or rearwardly). In the illustrated embodiment, theforward plunger 26 is coupled to an actuator 36 via one or more arms 38.The actuator 36 may be a hydraulic cylinder or a pneumatic cylinder, orthe actuator 36 may include a piston that drives a flywheel to power agearbox. The gearbox may, in turn, rotate crank arms that are coupled tothe arms 38 to facilitate movement of the forward plunger 26. Regardlessof its form, the actuator 36 is configured to control the reciprocatingmotion of the forward plunger 26.

In the illustrated embodiment, the baler 10 includes a rear plunger 40(e.g., a density control wall) disposed at or near the rear end 18 ofthe baler 10 and opposite the forward plunger 26. As shown, the rearplunger 40 has a material-facing surface 42 having multiple parallelslots 30 open to the baling chamber 14. The slots 30 extend from a firstend 44 (e.g., top end) of the rear plunger 40 to a second end 46 (e.g.,bottom end) of the rear plunger 40, and the slots 30 are generallyaligned with the vertical axis 24 of the baler 10. The slots 30 arespaced evenly across the material-facing surface 42 of the rear plunger40. Furthermore, each slot 30 of the rear plunger 40 is disposedopposite (e.g., aligned with) one corresponding slot 30 of the forwardplunger 26. In the illustrated embodiment, the rear plunger 40 isconfigured to control the density of a bale formed within the balingchamber 14 through the use of one or more actuators 48 (e.g., hydrauliccylinder, pneumatic cylinder, etc.), which are coupled to the rearplunger 40 via one or more arms, as described in more detail below.

As shown in FIG. 1, the baling chamber 14 also has a first wall 50(e.g., a top wall) and a second wall 52 (e.g., a bottom wall) oppositethe first wall 50. In the illustrated embodiment, the first wall 50 andthe second wall 52 have multiple parallel slots 30 open to the balingchamber 14. The slots 30 disposed within the first wall 50 and thesecond wall 52 extend along the longitudinal axis 22 of the baler 10between the forward plunger 26 and the rear plunger 40. The slots 30disposed within the first wall 50 and the second wall 52 may extendalong the length of the baling chamber 14 so as to accommodate thevarious axial positions of the forward plunger 26 and the rear plunger40, and to align with the slots 30 of the forward plunger 26 and therear plunger 40 even as the plungers 26, 40 move axially (e.g., alongthe longitudinal axis 22) within the baling chamber 14.

Additionally, the slots 30 formed in each of the forward plunger 26, therear plunger 40, the first wall 50, and the second wall 52 align so asto surround, or substantially surround, the baling chamber 14. Morespecifically, each of the forward plunger 26, the rear plunger 40, thefirst wall 50, and the second wall 52 has a first slot 30 a that alignswith corresponding slots 30 in the other components to substantiallysurround the baling chamber 14. As noted above, in some embodiments,two, three, four, five, six, or more slots 30 may be provided in each ofthe forward plunger 26, the rear plunger 40, the first wall 50, and thesecond wall 52, and thus, the baling chamber 14 may be surrounded bytwo, three, four, five, six, or more slots 30. As discussed in moredetail below, the slots 30 are aligned to enable a strap to be directedaround the baling chamber 14 to strap the compressible material withinthe baling chamber 14 into a bale.

In the illustrated embodiment, the baler 10 includes a spool 54configured to store and to provide a strap 56 for strapping the materialwithin the baling chamber 14. In certain embodiments, the spool 54 maybe accessible and/or removable to facilitate replacement and/orinstallation of the strap 56. As illustrated, the spool 54 provides thestrap 56 to a strap feeding assembly 58, which is configured to directand/or to propel the strap 56 around the baling chamber 14. For example,the strap feeding assembly 58 propels the strap 56 through the slots 30in order to surround the bale with the strap 56. As shown in FIG. 1, thebaler 10 also includes a sealing assembly 60, which is configured toreceive and/or to capture the strap 56, and to seal one portion of thestrap 56 to another portion of the strap 56 to form the strap 56 into asealed loop around the bale.

In systems having the sealing assembly 60, the slot 30 may beinterrupted by the sealing assembly 60. In other words, the slot 30 maysubstantially surround the baling chamber 14, but the slot 30 may not bepresent at the location of the sealing assembly 60. For example, asshown in FIG. 1, the sealing assembly 60 is adjacent (e.g., proximal) tothe first wall 50, and thus, the slot 30 is not present within the firstwall 50 at the location of the sealing assembly 60. In some embodiments,the sealing assembly 60 may align with adjacent portions of the slot 30,enabling the strap 56 to be fed through the sealing assembly 60 and intothe adjacent portion of the slot 30 to surround the bale. Additionally,such a configuration enables the strap 56 to be removed from both thesealing assembly 60 and the slots 30 after the strap 56 is sealed aroundthe bale, as described in more detail below.

In certain embodiments, one or more of the spool 54, the strap feedingassembly 58, and the sealing assembly 60 are coupled to the frame 12 ofthe baler 10. Furthermore, the spool 54, the strap feeding assembly 58,and/or the sealing assembly 60 may be disposed proximal to the firstwall 50 of the baling chamber 14. Although one spool 54, one strapfeeding assembly 58, and one sealing assembly 60 are shown in FIG. 1 forclarity, it should be understood that multiple sets of these componentsmay be provided within the baler 10 in order to surround the bale withmultiple straps 56, in some embodiments. For example, as shown in FIG.1, the spool 54, the strap feeding assembly 58, and the sealing assembly60 are aligned with the first slot 30 a. However, a separate spool 54,strap feeding assembly 58, and sealing assembly 60 may be provided andaligned with each of the slots 30. Thus, multiple straps 56 may be fedthrough the slots 30 and sealed around the bale, as described in moredetail below.

Additionally, as noted above, although the illustrated embodiments showsystems for strapping the bale about the lateral axis 20 of the baler10, it should be understood that the systems disclosed herein may bereadily adapted for strapping the bale about the longitudinal axis 22 orthe vertical axis 24. For example, to strap the bale about the verticalaxis 24, the slots 30 may extend across the material-facing surface 28of the forward plunger 26 such that the slots 30 are aligned with thelateral axis 20 of the baler 10 and are parallel to the top end 32 andto the bottom end 34 of the forward plunger 26. Similarly, the slots 30may extend across the material-facing surface 42 of the rear plunger 40such that the slots 30 are aligned with the lateral axis 20 of the baler10 and are parallel to the top end 44 and to the bottom end 46 of therear plunger 40. In such configurations, the strap 42 may be propelledthrough the slots 30 laterally 20 across the slots 30 of the forwardplunger 26 and the slots 30 of the rear plunger 40. Additionally, insuch configurations, rather than slots 30 being formed in the top wall50 and the bottom wall 52, the slots 30 may extend along a first sidewall and a second side wall, opposite the first side wall, of the balingchamber 14 between the forward plunger 26 and the rear plunger 40. Thespool 54, the strap feeding assembly 58, and/or the sealing assembly 60may be disposed on the first side wall of the baling chamber 14, and theneedle 52 may be disposed on the second side wall of the baling chamber14. The components may function together to surround the bale with thestrap 42 about the vertical axis 24 of the baler 10.

The strap 56 may be formed from any suitable relatively high-strengthmaterial. For example, the strap 56 may have a strength of about 150kilograms-force (kgf) to about 1500 kgf. In some embodiments, the strap56 may have a strength of about 300 kgf to about 1200 kgf. The strap 56may be any suitable width, although the strap 56 may be about 1centimeter (cm) to about 5 cm wide, in some embodiments. In certainembodiments, the strap 56 may be formed from carbon steel or plastics,such as polypropylene or polyester. In some embodiments, the baler 10 isconfigured to form bales that are about 2 to about 3 meters long (alongthe longitudinal axis 22) by about 1 to about 2 meters wide (along thelateral axis 20) by about 0.5 to about 1 meters tall (along the verticalaxis 22), and the strap 56 is of a suitable strength to securely strapbales of this size.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a portion of thebaler 10 having the forward plunger 26 and a rear wall 62. In certainembodiments, the baler 10 may include a rear wall 62 rather than therear plunger 40. The rear wall 62 is stationary and includes amaterial-facing surface 64. In the illustrated embodiment, thematerial-facing surface 64 includes multiple parallel slots 30 open tothe baling chamber 14. The slots 30 extend from a first end 66 (e.g.,top end) of the rear wall 62 to a second end 68 (e.g., bottom end) ofthe rear wall 62, and the slots 30 are generally aligned with thevertical axis 24 of the baler 10. The slots 30 are spaced evenly acrossthe material-facing surface 64 of the rear wall 62. Furthermore, eachslot 30 of the rear wall 62 is disposed opposite (e.g., aligned with)one corresponding slot 30 of the forward plunger 26. In the illustratedembodiment, the rear wall 62 is configured to facilitate the collectionof material in the baling chamber 14 and to maintain the shape of thebale.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the forward plunger 26having multiple slots 30 formed on the material-facing surface 28 of theforward plunger 26. As discussed above, the parallel slots 30 open tothe baling chamber 14 extend from the first end 32 (e.g., top end) ofthe forward plunger 26 to the second end 34 (e.g., bottom end) of theforward plunger 26, and the slots 30 are generally aligned with thevertical axis 24 of the baler 10. The slots 30 are spaced evenly acrossthe material-facing surface 28 of the forward plunger 26, although otherspacing may be suitable in some embodiments. As shown, six slots areprovided on the material-facing surface 28 of the forward plunger 26,although two, three, four, five, seven, eight, nine, ten, or more slotsmay be provided in other embodiments. The slots 30 enable the strap 56to be propelled (e.g., directed) around the baling chamber 14 tofacilitate strapping the bale. The slots 30 disposed in the rear plunger40 and/or the rear wall 62 may have a similar configuration as the slots30 disposed in the forward plunger 26 shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of a track assembly 71having a gate 70 disposed within the slot 30 of the forward plunger 26.Although the slot 30 having the gate 70 is shown within the forwardplunger 26 in FIG. 4, similar gates 70 may be disposed within the slots30 of the rear plunger 40, the first wall 50, and the second wall 52. Insome embodiments, the gates 70 may be recessed a distance 72 within theslot 30 (e.g., from the material-facing surface 28 of the forwardplunger 26). Recessing the gate 70 from the material-facing surface 28,for example, may enable the gate 70 to open and close withoutinterference from the material within the baling chamber 14. The gate 70may generally retain the strap 56 within the slot 30 as the strap 56travels through the slot 30, as described in more detail below. Asshown, the gate 70 is coupled to the slot 30 by one or more hinges 74,which may be spring-loaded, although any suitable mechanism for couplingthe gate 70 to the slot 30 is contemplated. In such configurations,after the strap 56 is fed through the slots 30 around the baling chamber14, the gate 70 releases the strap 56 from the slots 30 when a force isapplied to the gate 70 by the strap 56. For example, the gates 70 mayrelease the strap 56 when the strap 56 is pulled tightly around the bale(e.g., by the strap feeding assembly 58 or the sealing assembly 60). Insome embodiments, the gate 70 may be actuated, and the gate 70 may beconfigured to open at a certain time (e.g., after the strap 56 is fedthrough the slots 30 and surrounds the bale within the baling chamber14).

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of aself-contained track assembly 80 disposed within the slot 30. In certainbale press systems 10, it may be desirable to provide the track assembly80 within each slot 30 to receive and to direct the strap 56 through theslot 30 and around the baling chamber 14. For example, the trackassembly 80 may be formed from materials (e.g., high-strength materials)that may be configured to reduce wear from the movement of the straps 56through the track assembly 80. The track assembly 80 may also berepaired or replaced should a portion of the track assembly 80 becomeworn over time, without the need to replace the plungers 26, 40 or thewalls 50, 52, for example. In the illustrated embodiment, the trackassembly 80 is coupled to the slot 30, and thus, the slot 30 supportsthe track assembly 80. In certain embodiments, the track assembly 80extends from the first end 32 to the second end 34 of the forwardplunger 26, from the first end 44 to the second end 46 of the rearplunger 40, and along the length of the slots 30 formed within the firstwall 50 and second wall 52. Again, although the slot 30 is shown withinthe forward plunger 26 in FIG. 5, similar track assemblies 80 may bedisposed within the slots 30 of the rear plunger 40, the first wall 50,and the second wall 52.

As shown in FIG. 5, the track assembly 80 also includes walls 82defining a channel 84 through which the strap 56 may travel. The trackassembly 80 also has a gate 86 (e.g., the track assembly 80 may includea gated channel 84). Similar to the gate 70 described above with respectto FIG. 4, the gate 86 is configured to retain the strap 56 within thechannel 84 as the strap 56 is propelled through the channel 84. In someembodiments, the gates 86 may be recessed a distance 88 within the slot30 (e.g., from the material-facing surface 28 of the forward plunger26). Recessing the gate 86 from the material-facing surface 28, forexample, may enable the gate 86 to open and close without interferencefrom the material within the baling chamber 14. As shown, the gate 86 iscoupled to the walls 82 by one or more hinges 90, which may bespring-loaded. In such cases, after the strap 56 is fed through thechannel 84 around the baling chamber 14, the gate 86 releases the strap56 from the channel 84 when a force is applied to the gate 90 by thestrap 56. For example, the gates 86 may release the strap 56 when thestrap 56 is pulled tightly around the bale (e.g., by the strap feedingassembly 58 or the sealing assembly 60). In some embodiments, the gate86 may be actuated, and the gate 86 may be configured to open at acertain time (e.g., after the strap 56 is fed through the channel 84 andsurrounds the bale within the baling chamber 14).

FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the balingchamber 14 having the track assembly 80 disposed around the balingchamber 14 and a strap feeding assembly 58 disposed forward of a sealingassembly 60. The forward plunger 26 is disposed at the forward end 16 ofthe baling chamber 14, while the rear plunger 40 is disposed at the rearend 18 of the baling chamber 14, opposite the forward plunger 26. Thefirst wall 50 and the second wall 52 opposing the first wall 50 extendbetween the forward plunger 26 and the rear plunger 40 along thelongitudinal axis 22 of the baling chamber 14. One or more dogs 97 areprovided to support the material within the baling chamber 14. The dogs97 generally retain the material within the baling chamber 14 as theforward plunger 26 moves forwardly. The dogs 97 may be spring-loaded soas to collapse as the forward plunger 26 moves rearwardly into thebaling chamber 14, passing over the dogs 97. The dogs 97 may release ormove into the baling chamber 14 as the forward plunger 26 movesforwardly out of the baling chamber 14.

In operation, the compressible material enters the baling chamber 14through the forward end 16. The forward plunger 26 then moves axially(e.g., along the longitudinal axis 22) within the baling chamber 14 tourge the compressible material rearwardly, thereby compressing thematerial against the rear plunger 40. In certain embodiments, the rearplunger 40 is adjustable and pressure-controlled, and is configured togenerally control the size and/or density of the bale formed in thebaling chamber 14. In the illustrated embodiment, the rear plunger 40 isconfigured to control the density of the bale via the actuator 48 (e.g.,hydraulic cylinder, pneumatic cylinder, etc.), which is coupled to therear plunger 40 by an arm 98. In some embodiments, the desired densityof the bale may be achieved by setting a relief valve 100 to a presetthreshold pressure that corresponds to the desired density of the bale,for example. After the desired density is achieved, the baler 10 mayautomatically initiate the strapping process in which the strap feedingassembly 58 propels the strap 56 into the slots 30 to surround the bale.

In certain embodiments, the rear plunger 40 may be positioned proximateto (e.g., near) the forward plunger 26 prior to the formation of thebale and in preparation for receiving material into the baling chamber14. For example, the rear plunger 40 may move toward the forward plunger26 along a path 101, which is configured to facilitate movement of therear plunger 40 within the baling chamber 14. In certain embodiments,the path 101 may coincide with the slot 30 or the track assembly 71, 80.The rear plunger 40 may have rollers 102 configured to enable the rearplunger 40 to move (e.g., roll) along the path 101 within the balingchamber 14. Material may flow into the baling chamber 14 and may beurged rearwardly toward and against the rear plunger 40 by the forwardplunger 26.

In some embodiments, when the force applied by the material within thebaling chamber 14 against the rear plunger 40 exceeds the presetthreshold pressure established by the relief valve 100, the actuator 48enables the rear plunger 40 to move rearwardly as indicated by arrows102. This results in establishing the desired density of the bale. Inthe illustrated embodiment, a stop 104 is provided to block the rearwardmovement of the rear plunger 40, thereby limiting the size of the bale.The stop 104 may be adjustable to enable the formation of bales ofvarying lengths. For example, the stop 104 may be mechanically and/orelectronically adjusted by a control system of the baler 10. In such aconfiguration, an operator may adjust the position of the stop 104 (andthus the length of the bales) by inputting a desired bale length intothe control system, for example. Although shown as a mechanical stop 104that physically blocks rearward movement of the rear plunger 40, anyother suitable mechanism for limiting the rearward movement of the rearplunger and controlling the size of the bale is envisioned. In suchconfigurations, the strapping process may begin after the rear plunger40 reaches the stop 104. In some embodiments, the strapping process maybegin automatically when the rear plunger reaches the stop 104.Additionally, a sensor (or a series of sensors) may be disposed withinthe bale press system 10, or the stop 104 may include or form thesensor, to facilitate deactivation of the forward plunger 26 when therear plunger 40 reaches the stop 104, thereby establishing the desiredsize of the bale.

In certain embodiments, the rear plunger 40 may be coupled to a largeforce hydraulic cylinder that enables the baler 10 to generaterelatively higher density bales. In such configurations, once the rearplunger 40 is against the stop 104, the forward plunger 26 stopsmovement in the rearward direction. Then the rear plunger 40 is urgedforward toward the forward plunger 26 via the large force hydrauliccylinder to further compress the bale and to achieve a higherdensity/smaller bale. For example, the stop 104 may be set so that therear plunger 40 is moved rearwardly to generate a 10 foot bale. Once thelength of 10 feet is achieved, the forward plunger 26 stops and the rearplunger 40 then moves forward (e.g., one foot, two feet, three feet, ormore) via the large force hydraulic cylinder to shorten the length(e.g., the length of the bale in the direction of the longitudinal axis22) of the bale within the baling chamber 14, thus creating a moredense/smaller bale.

As discussed above, the baler 10 includes various components configuredto facilitate strapping the compressible material within the balingchamber 14. Such components include the strap feeding assembly 58 andthe sealing assembly 60, for example. These components may be placed atvarious positions relative to the baling chamber 14 and relative to oneanother. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, both the strap feedingassembly 58 and the sealing assembly 60 are disposed on a first side 106of the baling chamber 14 (e.g., proximal to the first wall 50, above thebaling chamber 14, etc.). As shown in FIG. 6, the strap feeding assembly58 is disposed forward of the sealing assembly 60 (e.g., the strapassembly 58 is proximal to the forward end 16 of the baling chamber 14,and the sealing assembly 60 is distal from the forward end 16). In sucha configuration, the strap feeding assembly 58 feeds (e.g., directs,propels, etc.) an end 108 of the strap 56 into a mandrel 110 of thesealing assembly 60 as shown by arrow 112. From the sealing assembly 60,the end 108 of the strap 56 is directed into the slot 30 (or the trackassembly 80 disposed within the slot 30) of the first wall 50. Oncewithin the slot 30, the end 108 of the strap 56 is propelled toward therear plunger 40 disposed at the rear end 18 of the baling chamber 14 asshown by arrows 114. The end 108 of the strap 56 then travels throughthe aligned slot 30 of the rear plunger 40, the second wall 52, and theforward plunger 26. After travelling around the baling chamber 14, theend 108 of the strap 56 is directed again into the mandrel 110 of thesealing assembly 60. In some embodiments, the sealing assembly 60 mayinclude a sensor and a gripper, and when the sensor senses the presenceof the strap 56, the gripper may grip or capture the strap 56. Once theend 108 of the strap 56 is received, the sealing assembly 60 may sealthe end 108 of the strap 56 to a portion of the strap 56 disposed withinthe sealing assembly 60 to form the strap 56 into a closed loop aroundthe bale within the baling chamber 14. The sealing assembly 60 may useany suitable technique for sealing the strap 56, such as frictionwelding. Additionally, in certain embodiments, the strap feedingassembly 58 is configured to pull on (e.g., retract) the strap 56 in thedirection of arrow 116 until a certain (e.g., preset) tension isachieved prior to the strap 56 being sealed. In some embodiments, thesealing assembly 60 may also cut the strap 56 in preparation forstrapping another bale.

However, in certain embodiments, it may be desirable to provide thestrap feeding assembly 58 rearward of the sealing assembly 60 (e.g., thestrap assembly 58 is proximal to the rear end 18 of the baling chamber14, and the sealing assembly 60 is distal from the rear end 18).Accordingly, FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view of an embodiment ofthe baling chamber 14 having the track assembly 80 disposed around thebaling chamber 14 and the strap feeding assembly 58 disposed rearwardlyof the sealing assembly 60. In such a configuration, the strap feedingassembly 58 feeds the end 108 of the strap 56 in a generally forwarddirection as shown by arrow 120 into the mandrel 110 of the sealingassembly 60. From the sealing assembly 60, the end 108 of the strap 56is directed into the slot 30 (or the track assembly 80 within the slot30) of the first wall 50 or directly into the slot 30 of the forwardplunger 26, depending on the relative location of the sealing assembly60. Once within the slot 30, the end 108 of the strap 56 is propelledthrough the slots 30 of the forward plunger 26, the second wall 52, therear plunger 40, and the first wall 50 as shown by arrows 122. Aftertravelling around the baling chamber 14, the end 108 of the strap 56 isdirected again into the mandrel 110 of the sealing assembly. As notedabove, in some embodiments, the sealing assembly 60 may include a sensorand a gripper, and when the sensor senses the presence of the strap 56,the gripper grips or captures the strap 56. Once the end 108 of thestrap 56 is received, the sealing assembly 60 may seal the end 108 ofthe strap 56 to a portion of the strap 56 disposed within the sealingassembly 60 to form the strap 56 into a closed loop around the balewithin the baling chamber 14. Additionally, in certain embodiments, thestrap feeding assembly 58 is configured to pull on (e.g., retract) thestrap 56 as shown by arrow 124 until a certain (e.g., preset) tension isachieved prior to the strap 56 being sealed. In some embodiments, thesealing assembly 60 may also cut the strap 56 in preparation forstrapping another bale.

After the strap 56 is sealed around the bale, the bale is removed (e.g.,moved, ejected, dropped) from the bale chamber 14. Any suitablemechanism for removing the bale is envisioned. Additionally, theejection systems and methods described herein may be utilized inconjunction with a variety of containment systems and methods, inaddition to the systems for strapping the bale described above. Forexample, the ejection systems may be used with alternative strappingsystems, twine knotting systems, or other containment systems.Furthermore, the ejection systems may be used to remove bales that aresurrounded by straps 56, twine, or other materials.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the baler 10 having anejection system 130. As shown, the bale ejection system 130 includes ahinge 132 proximate to the forward end 16 of the baling chamber 14. Thehinge 132 is coupled to the frame 12 and to the second wall 52.Accordingly, the second wall 52 is hinged at the first end 16 of thebaling chamber 14. The second wall 52 pivots (e.g., rotates) about thehinge 132 and about a pivot axis 133, which extends through the hinge132 and may be parallel to the lateral axis 20. The movement of thesecond wall 52 facilitates removal (e.g., ejection) of the bale from thebaling chamber 14.

FIG. 9 is a side cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the baler 10having the ejection system 130, in which the second wall 52 is movable(e.g., pivotable, rotatable, etc.) from a first position 134 to a secondposition 136. For example, the second wall 52 of the baling chamber 14may be configured to pivot (e.g., rotate) about the hinge 132 in thedirection 138 from the first position 134 (e.g., a generally horizontalposition) to the second position 136 (e.g., a generally downwardlyinclined position). In the first position 134, the second wall 52supports the bale. Orienting the second wall 52 in the second position136 enables the bale to move (e.g., slide, descend, etc.) downwardlyalong the second wall 52 in a direction 139 until the bale exits thebaling chamber 14. The angle of rotation of the second wall 52 about thehinge 132 may vary, although in some embodiments, the second wall 52 mayrotate such that an opening 140 formed at the second end 18 of the baler10 has a length 143 along the vertical axis 24 of between about 0.5meters to about 2 meters. Additionally, the second wall 52 may rotate sothat the bale freely and/or readily moves (e.g., slides) out of thebaling chamber 14 without being driven in the direction 139 (e.g.,without application of a force having components along the longitudinalaxis 22 and/or along the vertical axis 22).

However, in certain embodiments, a conveyor 141 (e.g., belt, track,chain, etc.) is disposed on the bottom wall 52 to facilitate removal ofthe bale from the baling chamber. The conveyor 141 may have a texturedsurface 142 (e.g., protrusions, dogs, etc.) configured to engage thebale and to facilitate removal of the bale from the baling chamber 14.During or after movement of the bottom wall 52 to the second position134, the conveyor 141 may urge the bale toward the second end 143 of thebottom wall 52, thereby pulling the bale out of the baling chamber 14 inthe direction 139.

Additionally, the second wall 52 of the baler 10 may be configured toautomatically pivot about the hinge 132 after the bale is strapped(e.g., after the strap 56 is sealed around the bale by the sealingassembly 60). For example, a control system may direct the second wall52 to pivot about the hinge 132 after the bale is strapped. In otherembodiments, the second wall 52 may be configured to pivot about thehinge 132 in response to an input (e.g., an operator input).

FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the baler 10including the ejection system 130. As shown, the ejection system 130includes a cam 145, or cam-like mechanism, configured to move a firstside wall 148 and/or a second side wall 150 outwardly from the balingchamber 14. In certain embodiments, the first side wall 146 and/or thesecond side wall 148 are movable, and each side wall 148, 150 is coupledto one or more cams 145 (e.g., a first cam 145 a is coupled to the firstside wall 146 and/or a second cam 145 b is coupled to the second sidewall 148). However, it should be appreciated that other components formoving the first side wall 146 and/or the second side wall 148 may beutilized in alternative embodiments. For example, in some embodiments,the first side wall 146 and/or the second side wall 148 may be coupledto an actuator (e.g., a hydraulic cylinder, a pneumatic cylinder, etc.)configured to drive the respective side wall 146, 148 outwardly from thebaling chamber 14.

As shown in FIG. 10, the cam 145 is configured to facilitate movement ofthe first side wall 146 and/or the second side wall 148 away from thebaling chamber 14 (and/or away from the second wall 52 and/or away fromthe bale within the baling chamber 14). The cam 145 is configured torotate, and a rotation of the cam 145 drives the side walls 146, 148away from the baling chamber 14. The cam 145 may be driven to rotate byan actuator (e.g., a hydraulic cylinder, pneumatic cylinder, ormechanical linkage).

In certain embodiments, the cam 145 may drive the first side wall 146and/or the second side wall 148 to move outwardly from the balingchamber 14 along the lateral axis 20. In certain embodiments, the firstside wall 146 and/or the second side wall 148 move vertically away fromthe baling chamber 14 along the vertical axis 24. In other embodiments,the first side wall 146 and/or the second side wall 148 move laterallyand vertically (e.g., movement of the first side wall 146 and/or thesecond side wall 148 may have a component in the lateral direction 20and the vertical direction 24) away from the baling chamber 14.

Generally, moving the first side wall 146 and/or the second side wall148 away from the baling chamber 14 enables the bale to move out of thebaling chamber 14. For example, the first side wall 146 and/or thesecond side wall 148 support at least a portion of the bale within thebaling chamber 14 (e.g., via frictional support or contact).Accordingly, moving the side walls 146, 128 away from the baling chamber14 reduces friction on the bale and enables the bale to slide along thedownwardly inclined second wall 52 out of the baling chamber 14.

Additionally or alternatively, moving the first side wall 146 and/or thesecond side wall 148 away from the baling chamber 14 enables the secondwall 52 to rotate about the hinge 132, thereby enabling the bale to beremoved. For example, the first side wall 146 and/or the second sidewall 148 may support the second wall 52 (e.g., via a latching mechanismor support structure that couples the side walls 146, 148 to the secondwall 52). Accordingly, moving the first side wall 146 and/or the secondside wall 148 away from the baling chamber 14 releases the supportprovided by the side walls 146, 148 and enables the second wall 52 torotate about the hinge 132. In the depicted embodiment, the cams 145 areconfigured to move the first side wall 146 and the second side wall 148in opposite directions along the lateral axis 20, thereby driving theside walls 146, 148 away from the baling chamber 14 as shown by arrows152. In some embodiments, the first side wall 146 and the second sidewall 148 are moved simultaneously.

FIG. 11 is a side cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the baler 10having an ejection system 160. As described above with respect to FIG.6, the rear plunger 40 may be configured to move within the balingchamber 14 to control the size and/or density of the bale. The rearplunger 40 may move rearwardly to an end position 162, which may bereached when the rear plunger 40 contacts the stop 104 or anotherparticular or preset location relative to the baling chamber 14. Afterthe rear plunger 40 reaches the end position 162, if the bale is notalready contained, the bale may then be contained via any suitablemechanism, such as the strapping system described above. The ejectionsystem 160 may then remove the contained (e.g., strapped) bale from thebaling chamber 14. As shown, the rear plunger 40 pivots about a hinge164 from a first position 166 (e.g., a generally vertical firstposition) to a second position 168 (e.g., a generally horizontal secondposition). In the first position 166, the rear plunger 40 may supportthe bale within the baling chamber 14, and in the second position 168,the rear plunger 40 may enable removal of the bale from the balingchamber 14. The rear plunger 40 may be rotated via any suitablemechanism. For example, the rear plunger 40 may be coupled to anactuator configured to rotate the rear plunger 40 about the hinge 164from the first position 166 to the second position 168.

Additionally, as described above with respect to FIGS. 8-10, the rearplunger 40 may be configured to automatically pivot about the hinge 164after the bale is contained (e.g., after the strap 56 is sealed aroundthe bale by the sealing assembly 60). For example, a control system maydirect the rear plunger 40 to pivot about the hinge 164 after the baleis strapped. In other embodiments, the rear plunger 40 may be configuredto pivot about the hinge 164 in response to an input (e.g., an operatorinput).

FIG. 12 is a side cross-sectional view of another embodiment of thebaler 10 having an ejection system 160. In the illustrated embodiment,the rear plunger 40 is configured to move (e.g., roll, travel, etc.)along the path 101 from the first position 166 to the second position168. The path 101 may be curved or may transition from a generallyhorizontal portion 170 to a generally vertical portion 172. Thus, whenthe rear plunger 40 reaches the end position 162, the rear plunger 40follows the path 101 and rotates (e.g., turns) away from the balingchamber 14, thereby enabling the bale to exit the baling chamber 14.

As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the material-facing surface 42 of the rearplunger 40, may be configured to facilitate removal of the bale. Incertain embodiments, a conveyor 174 (e.g., belt, track, chain, etc.) isdisposed on the material-facing surface 42 of the rear plunger 40. Theconveyor 174 may have a textured surface 176 (e.g., protrusions, dogs,etc.) configured to engage the bale and to facilitate removal of thebale from the baling chamber 14. During or after movement of the rearplunger 40 to the second position 168, the conveyor 170 may urge thebale toward the first end 44 of the rear plunger 40, thereby pulling thebale rearwardly out of the baling chamber 14 as shown by arrow 178.

In balers 10 having one or more stops 104 configured to control the sizeof the bale, the stops 104 may be configured to retract. Thus, the rearplunger 40 may move rearwardly past the stops 104 after the bale iscontained, and the rear plunger 40 may pivot about the hinge 164 or movealong the path 101, thereby enabling the bale to move out of the balingchamber 14. Alternatively, the stops 104 may not be mechanical stops 104and/or may be configured to facilitate rotation of the rear plunger 40about the hinge 164 or the travel along the path 101.

In balers 10 having the ejection system 160 depicted in FIGS. 11 and 12,it may be desirable to have a non-continuous flow of material into thebaler 10. For example, the flow of material into the baling chamber 14may be stopped as the rear plunger 40 pivots and the bale moves out ofthe baling chamber 14, thereby preventing the material (e.g., loosematerial that has not been compressed into the bale) from exiting thebaling chamber 14 while the rear plunger 40 is in the second position.

FIG. 13 is a side view of an embodiment of a self-contained vehicle 190including the baler 10. As illustrated, the baling chamber 14 issupported and/or mounted within or on the self-contained vehicle 190.The material may flow into the baling chamber 14 via a conveyancesystem, where the material is baled in a manner described above. Thus,the baler 10 may be configured to collect and bale material as theself-contained vehicle 130 travels through the field.

FIG. 14 is a side view of an embodiment of a towed implement having thebaler 10. As shown, the baler 10 includes a baling chamber 14. The baler10 may be ground-supported by wheels 200 and may be coupled to a towvehicle (e.g., a harvester, a tractor, etc.) by a projection 202 that isconfigured to connect the baler 10 to the tow vehicle. Thus, the baler10 may be part of the towed implement and pulled through a field. Insuch a configuration, the baler 10 collects and bales material as thebaler 10 travels through the field behind the tow vehicle.

While the invention has been described with reference to a preferredembodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art thatvarious changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted forelements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. Inaddition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situationor material to the teachings of the invention without departing from theessential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the inventionnot be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best modecontemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the inventionwill include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appendedclaims.

1. An agricultural baler disposed on a movable agricultural implementcomprising: a first plunger and a second plunger, positioned on anopposite longitudinal end of a baling chamber from the first plunger; astrap feeding assembly; and a track assembly disposed within a firstslot formed on a first material-facing surface of the first plunger, asecond slot formed on a second material-facing surface of the secondplunger, a third slot formed on a third material-facing surface of afirst wall of the baling chamber, and fourth slot formed on a fourthmaterial-facing surface of a second wall of the baling chamber, whereinthe first and second walls are positioned on opposite lateral orvertical sides of the baling chamber; wherein the first plunger isconfigured to compress material within the baling chamber into a bale,and the strap feeding assembly is configured to propel an end of a strapthrough the track assembly, around the baling chamber, and into asealing assembly configured to bind a first portion of the strap to asecond portion of the strap to seal the strap into a loop around thebale within the baling chamber, and wherein the agricultural baler isdisposed on a movable agricultural implement.
 2. The agricultural balerof claim 1, wherein the track assembly comprises a gated channel.
 3. Theagricultural baler of claim 2, wherein the gated channel comprisesspring-loaded gates.
 4. The agricultural baler of claim 2, wherein thegated channel comprises actuated gates.
 5. The agricultural baler ofclaim 2, wherein the gated channel comprises gates recessed within thefirst slot, the second slot, the third slot, or the fourth slot.
 6. Theagricultural baler of claim 5, comprising an actuator configured toenable the second plunger to move in a second direction to control thedensity of the bale.
 7. The agricultural baler of claim 1, wherein thestrap feeding assembly is disposed proximal to a first end of the balingchamber and the sealing assembly is disposed distal from the first endof the baling chamber.
 8. The agricultural baler of claim 1, comprisingone or more dogs configured to hold the bale within the baling chamberas the first plunger moves in a first direction.
 9. An agriculturalbaler comprising: a baling chamber configured to receive a compressiblematerial, the baling chamber comprising a first wall opposing a secondwall, wherein each of the first wall and the second wall comprises aslot extending along a length of the baling chamber; a first plungermoveable within the baling chamber to compress the compressible materialinto a bale; a second surface opposing the first plunger configured tosupport the compressible material within the baling chamber, whereineach of the first plunger and the second surface comprises a slotaligned with the slots of the first wall and the second wall; and atrack assembly comprising a gated channel, wherein the track assembly isdisposed within the slots of the first wall, the second wall, the firstplunger, and the second surface such that the track assemblysubstantially surrounds the baling chamber; wherein the agriculturalbaler is disposed on a movable agricultural implement.
 10. Theagricultural baler of claim 9, comprising a second plunger opposing thefirst plunger, wherein the second plunger includes the second surfaceand the second plunger is coupled to an actuating cylinder that enablesthe second plunger to move in a second direction while a force appliedby the compressible material against the second plunger exceeds athreshold value.
 11. The agricultural baler of claim 10, comprising amechanical stop configured to limit movement of the second plunger inthe second direction to control a size of the bale.
 12. The agriculturalbaler of claim 11, comprising a sensor configured to detect the presenceof the second plunger against the mechanical stop, wherein the firstplunger is deactivated when the sensor detects the presence of thesecond plunger against the mechanical stop.
 13. The agricultural balerof claim 9, comprising a strap feeding assembly configured to propel astrap through the gated channel of the track assembly.
 14. Theagricultural baler of claim 13, comprising a sealing assembly configuredto receive the strap and to seal an end of the strap to a portion of thestrap to form the strap into a loop surrounding the bale within thebaling chamber.
 15. The agricultural baler of claim 9, wherein theagricultural implement is a self-propelled vehicle.
 16. A method forbaling an agricultural crop material comprising: collecting theagricultural crop material in a baling chamber disposed on a moveableagricultural implement; compressing the agricultural crop material intoa bale via a first plunger; controlling a density of the agriculturalcrop material via a second plunger positioned opposite the firstplunger; feeding an end of a strap into a channel of a track assemblysurrounding the baling chamber after the agricultural crop material iscompressed into the bale; propelling the end of the strap through thechannel of the track assembly; directing the end of the strap into asealing assembly; and sealing the end of the strap to a portion of thestrap within the sealing assembly to form a sealed loop surrounding thematerial.
 17. The method of claim 16, comprising enabling the secondplunger to move in a second direction while a force applied by thematerial against the second plunger exceeds a threshold value.
 18. Themethod of claim 17, wherein the second plunger is configured to controla density of the crop material within the baling chamber via an actuatorthat enables the second plunger to move in the second direction.
 19. Themethod of claim 17, wherein the end of the strap is propelled through afirst portion of the channel of the track assembly in the first plungerbefore being propelled through a second portion of the channel of thesecond plunger.
 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the second plungermoves in a first direction to further compress the agricultural cropmaterial in the baling chamber after the agricultural crop material iscompressed by the forward plunger.